Chapter 6: The Turning Point

Charlotte

I couldn’t believe it—I actually took down those men. It felt unreal, like something straight out of an action movie. All those years of taekwondo training, which I once thought was a waste, turned out to be my saving grace. I had saved a billionaire. Charles Goldberg, no less.

But despite the rush of adrenaline from the fight, a hollow feeling settled in my chest. I had lost my shot at the PA job, the one opportunity I’d been hoping for. 

I made my way back to Emma’s place, dragging my feet with a mix of pride and disappointment. By the time I reached her door, the weight of it all pressed down on me. I couldn’t bring myself to smile.

The door swung open before I could even knock, and Emma rushed out to meet me, her face lighting up like the Fourth of July. “How was the interview? I know you crushed it!”

I could only give her a weak smile. “Not exactly.”

Her excitement faded as she caught on to my mood, her eyes widening with concern. “Wait, what happened? Did he reject you?”

I sighed, stepping inside and slumping down on the couch. “I didn’t even make it to the final stage. I spilled tea all over him, and he kicked me out.” My voice cracked, and I felt the sting of tears rising.

Emma was beside me in a second, her arms wrapped around me like a blanket. “Oh no, Charlotte, I’m so sorry,” she murmured into my hair.

“I was so close, Emma,” I whispered. “So close. He was impressed with my answers, but I had to go and ruin it. And then...”

“And then?” she asked, pulling back to look at me.

“And then... I saved his life.”

Emma’s eyes went wide. “Wait—what?”

I told her everything—the ambush outside the building, the masked attackers, and how I’d fought them off. By the end of it, her jaw had dropped.

“You’re kidding,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “You saved Charles Goldberg’s life, and you still didn’t get the job?”

I laughed bitterly. “I doubt he even knows it was me. I was in disguise, remember? To him, I’m just the clumsy guy who ruined his shirt.”

Emma looked at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Well, if that’s not ironic, I don’t know what is. You should have told him afterward, ‘By the way, I just saved your life, so how about that PA position now?’”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. Emma always had a way of finding humor in the darkest situations. She hugged me tighter.

“Look,” she said softly, “this isn’t the end of the road. You saved a billionaire today. That’s got to count for something. And you’re going to get another shot, I promise.”

I smiled faintly, her optimism working its usual magic. “BFFFF?”

“BFFFF,” she echoed, grinning. “Best Friends Forever For Always and For Realsies.”

---

Charles

I couldn’t shake the thought of the man who saved me. Whoever he was, he had jumped into the fray without hesitation, taking on a group of armed attackers. And now, the image of his figure in that white suit—black pants, moving with such precision—kept replaying in my mind.

But who was he? 

I summoned my new PA, the one I had hired out of sheer annoyance after a long day of lackluster interviews. He stood before me now, fumbling nervously with his hands.

“Did you see who saved me yesterday?” I asked, keeping my tone cool and controlled, though the curiosity burned inside me.

The man looked at me, fear in his eyes. “No, sir,” he stammered. “I didn’t see him clearly.”

I studied his face, unimpressed. “So, you were standing right there, but you didn’t see the person who stopped the attack?”

He swallowed, shifting on his feet. “N-No, sir.”

I waved him off with a sigh. “Get out of my sight,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. Useless.

After dismissing him, I called in my driver. *He* had to have seen something.

“Did you see the person who saved me?” I asked the moment he stepped into my office.

“Yes, sir,” he said confidently. “I did.”

My heart leaped. “Who was it?”

“He was wearing black pants and a white suit.”

My mind flashed back to the interview. *The clumsy man.* The one who spilled tea on me. *Could it really be him?*

A knot of guilt twisted in my chest. I had insulted him, thrown him out of my office like garbage. And yet, after all that, he saved me. I couldn’t let this go. I grabbed the résumé he had filled out, my eyes quickly scanning it for his contact information.

*There it is.* I dialed the number, my pulse quickening with anticipation.

After a few rings, a woman’s voice answered. “Hello?”

“Do you know Mason Williams?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Yes,” she replied slowly. “Who is this?”

“This is Charles Goldberg,” I said. “Could you tell him I need to see him in my office tomorrow at 1 p.m.?”

There was a pause. “Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong. Just make sure he comes.”

I ended the call, leaning back in my chair. Mason Williams. I owed him an apology—no, more than that. But I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that there was more to this man than met the eye.

---

Charlotte

I came back from the store, bags of groceries in hand, to find Emma practically vibrating with excitement. She rushed over to me, her eyes gleaming with a secret she was dying to spill.

“What is it?” I asked, setting the bags down on the kitchen counter. “You’re way too happy for a regular Thursday.”

She grinned mischievously. “Guess what?”

I narrowed my eyes on her. “You finally found a boyfriend?”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Nope, but I appreciate your optimism.”

I shrugged, trying to think of what could possibly have her in such a good mood. “You landed another job for me?” I teased.

“Wrong again,” she sang. “Okay, I’ll tell you. Mr. Charles Goldberg called.”

I froze, the words hitting me like a bucket of cold water. “Wait… what?”

“Yup.” She nodded, her grin even wider. “He called asking for you—well, Mason Williams—to meet him at his office tomorrow at 1 p.m.”

My heart raced, my mind immediately spiraling. “Why? What does he want? I thought I blew it.”

Emma leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Maybe he feels bad about the way he treated you. Or maybe he realized that you were the best candidate all along.”

I bit my lip, trying to process it. Charles Goldberg called me back?*

“But what if it’s about something else?” I asked, pacing the room. “I saved his life, Emma. What if he somehow figured that out? What if—”

“Stop freaking out,” she interrupted, holding up her hands in surrender. “You’re overthinking this. Just go tomorrow, see what happens. It could be the break you’ve been waiting for.”

---

The thought of seeing Charles Goldberg again wouldn’t leave me alone. Sleep was impossible as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, imagining all the ways tomorrow could go wrong—or right.

What if he’s figured it out? I wondered. What if this is the moment my entire disguise falls apart?

But despite the anxiety gnawing at my stomach, a flicker of excitement stirred

in my chest. This meeting could change everything. 

For better or worse, tomorrow would be the day everything came to light.

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